Eighteen
by Shedemei
Summary: Just before Blind Mag leaves the Wallace residence, Shilo calls her back to ask why it is "too late" for her favorite singer. A conversation turns into a warm embrace, and Nathan's overprotective side emerges when he sees his daughter in Mag's arms…
1. Of Greetings and Goodbyes

Eighteen

Summary: Just before Blind Mag leaves the Wallace residence, Shilo calls her back to ask why it is "too late" for her favorite singer. A conversation turns into a warm embrace, and Nathan's overprotective side emerges when he sees his daughter in Mag's arms…

Disclaimer: I do not own _Repo__!__ The Genetic Opera_, unless we're talking about a copy of the DVD or the soundtrack.

Pairings: Shilo/Mag

Author's Notes: More Shilo/Mag. What else could possibly be expected of me? This is going to be another multi-chapter fic, though, not a one-shot like _Gifts _or a two-shot like _Fresh Meat.  
><em>

Begins just as Blind Mag is about to leave the Wallace house after "Chase the Morning." Assumes Nathan got home late.

* * *

><p>The azure hologram of Shilo's mother flickered and vanished. Her small performance over, Blind Mag turned to leave.<p>

"Wait!" Shilo cried suddenly, just as the singer's hand touched the doorknob. She ran down the stairs as Mag faced her, looking slightly confused.

"Yes, Shilo?"

"What did you mean?" said Shilo breathlessly. "What did you mean by 'it's too late for you?' Too late for what?"

Mag turned to face Shilo, hesitating. Then, after a moment, she held her arms out to the girl, as if for an embrace. "Come here."

Puzzled but certainly willing to accept a hug from her godmother, Shilo stepped forward to find Blind Mag's arms encircling her. Her head came to rest on the woman's shoulder, and Shilo was struck by the light, ethereal scent of Mag's perfume. It was very pleasant, and Shilo found herself trying to breathe in the lovely smell as she tentatively wrapped her arms around her godmother.

"Forgive me for not being more specific," Blind Mag whispered. "You see, I'm afraid your house is bugged."

"Bugged?" Shilo repeated, more loudly than she'd meant to.

"Shhh. Yes. I'm not sure if there are microphones here, but there are cameras. I've seen that GeneCo has many pictures of this place…especially inside your room. These were pictures I weren't allowed to see, but…"

Shilo felt a chill crawl up her back. "Why would GeneCo want pictures of my room?"

"Rotti Largo wants something of you, so I suppose he's been keeping tabs on you. When I heard him say he could 'help you' the way he had helped me, it…well, I knew I had to warn you."

"About what?" Slowly, the answer dawned on Shilo. "About GeneCo? Is that why you said it was too late for you to…to live the life you wanted?" Shilo didn't understand by being a world-renowned singer couldn't be what Mag wanted, but hopefully Mag would explain that.

"Yes." Shilo felt one of Blind Mag's hands slide up to her shoulder, fingertips stroking lightly just beside the base of her neck, as if Mag could barely trust that Shilo was real and solid. Shilo felt oddly touched by the little gesture.

"What's wrong with GeneCo?" Shilo prodded.

Mag paused before replying. Finally she said, "Corruption. Rotti Largo uses his influence for terrible things. He feels the need to control every second of the lives of those who are the public face of GeneCo…I imagine that's how his children turned out so strange and warped."

"Does he try to control you too?"

Shilo felt the shudder that ran through Blind Mag's body, felt the woman's arms tighten around her. "Yes." Even in that one word, her shaky, strained tone spoke volumes.

A sudden wave of affection for her godmother washed over Shilo. What had been done to Mag to shake her famous elegant composure? Shilo turned her head and nuzzled the singer's neck like a cat. "I'm sorry," Shilo whispered.

"There is no need to apologize, little one. It was my own foolishness that got me into this situation. I believed Rotti when he said he only wanted to help me." Mag's tone was so bitter it was barely recognizable as the refined, clear voice of GeneCo commercial broadcasts. "I only ask that you not make the same mistake. I couldn't stand to see my goddaughter in GeneCo's clutches." Shilo felt Mag's lips press a long kiss on top of her head.

Shilo tilted her head back to look at the face of the woman who was being so kind to her. She had never once been so close to somebody, not even her father, at least not in this way. Being only a few inches away from Mag, Shilo felt she could see past the heavy makeup Blind Mag wore, to what she might look like without the mask GeneCo made her wear. Mag's extraordinary eyes glowed brightly for a moment, and she brushed the back of one hand against Shilo's cheek. "Forgive me. I can still hardly believe you're alive. It feels almost like a dream."

Shilo had no idea why Mag would ask for forgiveness for such a thing. As if anyone could object to being touched gently by Blind Mag. "There's nothing to forgive," Shilo murmured. Shilo could have sworn Mag blushed at that. "It's true," Shilo insisted. "You're so beautiful."

She immediately could have kicked herself for saying that; it felt woefully inadequate. Yes, Mag was lovely, but it wasn't just that; it was that Mag had risked being punished by GeneCo for her warning to Shilo, that her embrace was warm, her words kind…

Shilo thought about resting her head on Blind Mag's shoulder again, but that wasn't what she wanted. But if she did what she wanted, Mag might be disgusted, she might leave…so Shilo reached up to touch Mag's face the way the singer had done for her. But she couldn't bring herself to even do that, and her hand ended up buried in Blind Mag's soft hair.

Mag smiled. It was a small smile, but a sincere one, like her response to hearing Shilo describe how she could see the world from her window. A smile that could melt your heart, Shilo thought. She averted her eyes, timid and embarrassed. But then she felt the hand that had stroked her cheek move to cup her chin and lift her face up, and she was staring into Blind Mag's luminescent eyes again. Mag leaned in slightly, and Shilo let her eyelids drift shut, unable to believe that her wish might come true…

It had been patent what Shilo wanted, so Mag had tacitly agreed to it by being the one to initiate the inevitable kiss. Her lips were warm and soft on Shilo's, and it was the girl's turn to wonder if she were dreaming. To be held and tenderly kissed by Blind Mag was surely a dream of almost every one of her fans…

Shilo had completely lost track of time by the time the kiss came to a natural end.

"I take it that was what you wanted?" Mag whispered almost shyly. "You seemed to enjoy it."

The only thing Shilo could think of to say was, "Wow."

That made Blind Mag blush darkly. Shilo wondered why Mag was blushing; did she have any idea how appealing she was? "Please, kiss me again."

Mag did, her hands running lightly up and down the girl's sides as she covered Shilo's mouth with hers. In the few romance novels Shilo had read, kisses were strange and complicated, with teeth and tongue getting involved. Mag's kisses were gentle, just her soft lips caressing Shilo's. Of all odd things, Shilo found herself wondering what kind of lip balm Mag used.

Shilo felt lost in the touch of Blind Mag's lips again, and it was only when Mag gasped in surprise and pulled back that the kissing stopped. Shilo was puzzled for a moment until she realized to her horror that not only had she lost track of time, she had lost track of what her hands were doing…and one was resting on Mag's right breast. Shilo pulled away, stuttering apologies. "Mag, I'm…I'm so sorry…I…I don't know what I was thinking."

Shilo hung her head in shame, terrified that she had ruined what had been becoming a quite beautiful moment. But Mag was taking her hands, smiling kindly at her. "Shi, you are a teenager, and full of hormones. I don't blame you. And you were probably thinking that you can't feel anything through this heavy dress." Mag leaned forward until her forehead was touching Shilo's to whisper her next works. "Would you like to?"

Shilo's eyes widened. "Are you…are you serious?"

"Well, my little one, it's been years since I've been touched out of kindness. In any way. And I see no reason to deny you this." Blind Mag reached to the front of her dress, pushing away the elaborate ruffles to reveal a zipper that ran from her neck to just above her navel.

"That doesn't seem very…effective," Shilo stammered.

"There's a zipper meant to help actually take the dress off. But the Largos make sure all my clothes are designed to allow for…easy access." Mag smiled bitterly, but before Shilo could ask about that disquieting statement, she performed the incredibly distracting gesture of unzipping the front of her gown. She took the girl's hands and kissed each of the wrists, giving the girl's hands her blessing, and guided them to the inside of her dress.

Shilo whimpered softly as her fingertips brushed against skin more exquisitely soft than anything she'd ever touched before. Her hands were shaking; she took deep breaths to try to control herself, stroking Mag's tender flesh with her knuckles so lightly she could barely feel anything.

Blind Mag squeezed Shilo's waist almost playfully. "You don't have to be that gentle," she said with a tiny smile.

"I'm sorry," Shilo murmured. "It's just that…I've never done anything like this…"

"I know." Mag kissed Shilo's cheek. "I was only teasing, Shi. You're doing fine."

Shilo rested her head on Mag's shoulder, eyes closed. Blind Mag rubbed her back encouragingly as Shilo continued her little caresses, finally finding the courage to cradle and massage one of Mag's breasts in each hand. "You're so delicate." Shilo's voice trembled so hard Mag could barely understand her.

Mag kissed the top of Shilo's head again. "I may be doing this for you, but that feels lovely." She gave a little shiver as the pad of one of Shilo's thumbs brushed over one nipple. "Mmm…thank you, little one."

Shilo felt her heart swell with something like pride. "That feels good?" She asked softly.

"Very," Mag breathed as Shilo began carefully playing with both her nipples. She flexed her knuckles so it was her nails traveling up and down Shilo's back instead of her palms. Shilo trembled at the sensation, and suddenly she thought of another place Mag's kind hands could go.

"Mag…" Shilo was almost panting. "Will you touch me? Please? The way I'm doing for you now?" Shilo quickly withdrew one hand from Mag's chest and seized the woman's wrist, trying to move the captured hand to the front of her nightgown.

Blind Mag shied away suddenly, looking crestfallen. Shilo felt stunned, almost wounded; was she not pretty enough for Mag? "No, little one," said Mag brokenly.

"Why?" Shilo cried.

Mag closed her eyes, which clicked beneath her eyelids. "I have no qualms about allowing a kind young girl to use me to explore another woman's body. But if I were to do the same to you, I would feel like I was taking advantage of you."

Tears leapt to Shilo's eyes at Mag's words. "I'm not using you. I wanted this because you're so good to me…because you're beautiful…"

Blind Mag shook her head. "I'm sorry; that was a poor choice of words. I know your intentions are not exploitative. But I…I have been passed from hand to hand like a filthy coin. I cannot touch you intimately without feeling like I'm…polluting you."

"Don't talk like that," Shilo begged, moving to wrap her arms around Mag; to her relief, the woman accepted and returned her embrace. "You're so kind. You wouldn't be taking advantage of me. And you certainly wouldn't be polluting me. Why do you say that?"

"Because this is what GeneCo does to people," said Mag. Her words might have been dragged through a lake of liquid sorrow. "I don't trust myself with you because of what has been done to me." She paused. "But…I can think of something you might enjoy. Is there someplace comfortable nearby?"

Still confused and teary, Shilo led Blind Mag to the living room. Mag looked around carefully.

"I don't think I've been any footage from this room. We should be safe here." Mag kissed Shilo's forehead and gestured to the living room couch. "Why don't you lie down?" A smile flitted across your lips. "And you can disrobe if you want. As much as you're comfortable with."

If Mag was uncomfortable touching Shilo "intimately", Shilo wasn't sure why she would have to undress, but she certainly wasn't complaining. She peeled off her dress and the long-sleeved black shirt underneath, then quickly set about squirming out of her tights. She lay down on the couch, her heart pounding. Mag looked slightly surprised at how much clothing Shilo had taken off, particularly because the girl had not been wearing a bra.

"Well, I suppose I have to measure up to that now…" Blind Mag sat down to remove her elegant black boots, then stood up again, unzipped her dress down the back, and let it slide down her body to pool around her ankles.

Shilo moaned. "You look like an angel."

A blush colored Mag's pale cheeks yet again. "Thank you, Shi." She knelt precariously on the edge of the couch for a moment, reaching to stroke Shilo's cheek. Slowly, she lay down beside the girl. "Now…may I hold you?" She rested a hand lightly on Shilo's hip.

In response, Shilo draped her arm over Blind Mag's bare, silky back and tucked her head under the singer's chin, as her brain had suddenly lost the ability to form words. She gasped softly as Mag encircled her waist with one arm and pulled her close, so close she could feel she delicious soft tingle of the other woman's naked skin against her own. Touching Mag's breasts had been nothing compared to the sensation of that same delicate flesh pressed to her own sensitive chest. She found herself beginning to shake.

"I'm sorry, Shi, are you cold? Here…" Mag reached up to a folded blanket that was draped over the back of the couch and pulled it over herself and Shilo. "Better?"

Shilo maneuvered herself until she was eye to eye with Mag and kissed her. "Thank you. Thank you for this," she murmured, hoping her vague words were adequate.

"Are you comfortable?"

Shilo nestled her head against Mag's chest again. "I've never been more comfortable."

It made sense that Mag wouldn't want to act invasive toward Shilo and would substitute this for what Shilo had previously asked for. Shilo smiled, quite glad that Mag had suggested this; Shilo had never cuddled with anyone before, and their mutual state of semi-undress only made the experience lovelier. Shilo was about to conclude that there was no way she could feel more loved and content when Mag started singing to her, a simple but pretty folk song in a language Shilo didn't recognize.

"Okay," Shilo whispered, "_now _I've never been more comfortable."

In her bliss, though, Shilo had forgotten that her father would be home soon, and didn't hear the door open over Mag's singing…

"Mag…how did you get in here?"

Shilo nearly leapt a foot into the air when she heard her father's voice. She had never heard him sound like that, so cold and irate…so…_frightening…_

"Hi, Nathan." Blind Mag, obviously struggling to keep her voice level, was sitting up halfway, holding the blanket up with one hand to cover herself. "Shilo let me in when I asked to talk to her."

"Talk to her?" Shilo trembled at the fury in his voice. She looked up at him and his face was dark and contorted. Suddenly she understood; she and Mag had only been cuddling, but to Nathan, it looked like Shilo had just lost her virginity to her godmother.

"I know what this looks like, but I was only holding her. She has a bit of a celebrity crush on me, and I thought…"

In a flash, Nathan was gripping Mag's neck with both hands and lifting her up. Mag choked and gasped, struggling futilely against his iron grip.

"Dad, no!" Shilo shrieked. "Dad, please, she didn't hurt me! She didn't do anything wrong!"

"You thought what?" Nathan snarled, pinning Mag to the nearest wall, completely ignoring Shilo. Mag had begun to go limp, her lips taking on a bluish tinge. "Thought you'd take advantage of my daughter?"

"Dad, let her go!" Shilo was weeping now. "It was my idea, she wasn't taking…she wasn't…"

Shilo felt blackness encroaching on the edges of her vision. She struggled to force air into her lungs, but there was no stopping it. Unconsciousness swam up on her like a shark beneath an unsuspecting swimmer and Shilo crumpled to the floor.

* * *

><p>When Shilo came to, she was lying on her back beside the living room couch. There was a blanket lying in a pile a foot away from her, still where Mag had dropped it…<p>

_Mag…_

Shilo scrambled to her feet, ignoring the dizziness that threatened to overcome her again. Where could Mag be now? Surely her dad hadn't killed her…he wouldn't kill his daughter's godmother, not to mention Shilo couldn't imagine her father killing anyone…

There were droplets of blood on the floor.

Her stomach roiling with nausea, Shilo edged closer. Yes, what was on the floor was unmistakably blood, and there was a smudged ellipsoid shape on the wall, about five and a half feet above the floor, nearby looked to also be blood. What had the smudge come from? Had Nathan knocked Blind Mag's head into the wall? If that was true, were the drops of blood on the floor from Mag's scalp?

Shilo called out for her godmother, her voice weak and scratchy. "Mag?" She coughed, struggling to clear her throat. "Mag? Are you here?"

There was no response.

"Dad?"

Again, nothing. Still disoriented from her fainting spell, Shilo laboriously pulled her clothes on and staggered around the house, looking for her father and godmother. She nearly leapt out of her skin when her wrist-phone rang.

"Incoming message from Blind Mag."

Shilo gasped out loud and answered. "Mag! Are you alive? Where are you?"

"Shi…" The voice was faint and pained. "I'm alive. I'm in…I'm in an alley."

"An alley? Where?"

"I don't…don't know. He took my eyes."

Shilo shouted as if she'd been slapped. Had Nathan thrown Mag out after beating her, and poor Mag had run across a Repo Man who took out her eyes in anticipation of her final performance?

"Shi…help…me…"

The call clicked off.

"Mag? Mag!"

There was only static.

Shilo bolted up to her room for her bag; if she had another attack while she was out looking for Blind Mag, she could go into shock or die without her medicine. Without even bothering to find clothes more suitable for the weather, she ran for the door.

She had no idea where to start looking, but she had to get out of the vicinity of the house soon; if her dad saw her trying to leave, he would stop her. So she followed the route the corpse truck had taken earlier when Graverobber had gotten her out of the alley behind the meeting for Zydrate addicts. When her surroundings started looking both familiar and seedy, she clutched her bag tightly to her; without Graverobber at her side, she felt vulnerable. She was already attracting deranged (or high) stares from the few people she passed. But if she was in trouble, what chance would Mag have, injured and blind and alone? Shilo hurried through the maze of alleys, trying not to think about the leers she was getting or the fact that she had no idea where she was going.

She was startled by sudden yelps of surprise and alarm from the denizens of Sanitarium City's underworld; she looked up to see a GeneCop car crawling down the widest of the alleys, the one she was currently traversing. She turned to run, but then the car braked, the driver's side window rolled down, and the Graverobber poked his head out. Shilo was gobsmacked until she realized that the car was an older model that she almost never saw passing her window, and that Graverobber probably had stolen it and drove it to guard himself from suspicion.

"Kid? What the hell are you doing on this side of the tracks?"

She ran for the passenger's side and leapt into the car, clutching her bag to her chest. Graverobber looked slightly flabbergasted. "Nice to see you too, but that doesn't answer my question."

"I'm looking for Blind Mag," Shilo whispered. Because that alone made no sense, she elaborated. "She's my godmother. She came to my house to say hello to me, because my dad had told her I died while my mom was giving birth to me, and she just found out I was alive. My dad found us…" Shilo trailed off, not sure that she wanted to reveal the fact that she had been cuddling half-naked with Mag. "My dad walked in while Mag was hugging me. He got…he got really mad. I have a blood disease and he was afraid she'd get me sicker, because I'm immunocompromised. I was so scared I passed out, and then I woke up and Mag and my dad were gone, and then she called me and said a Repo Man took her eyes and she was in an alley…" Shilo dissolved into tears, burying her face in her hands.

Graverobber was quiet for a moment before saying, "You may have to run some of that by me again."

Shilo managed to compose herself somewhat and rehashed her story again, emphasizing the part that Mag desperately needed her help. When she was done, Graverobber nodded grimly and said, "I know a few places around here where the Repo Men tend to leave their victims."

Graverobber put the car into gear and they set off. Thanks to Graverobber's expertise, it wasn't long before they found Mag, half-conscious and still nearly naked in a dead-end alley. Somebody had had the decency to cover her in newspapers.

Shilo shot from the car like a bullet, crying out for Blind Mag, Graverobber calling after not to trip over her own feet. In half a second, she had Mag's head cradled in her lap and was holding one of the woman's hands.

"Shilo?" Mag moaned faintly.

"I'm here, Mag. I'm here." Shilo kissed Mag's forehead.

"Help me. Please help me."

Graverobber walked over to examine the situation for himself. "Okay, so the Repo Man took her clothes. That's…not something you see every day. Kind of sick."

Shilo decided not to mention that Mag had undressed for her. "What can we do?"

"We've got to get her to a hospital. She's fucked if that gets infected."

"Can you stand up, Mag?" Shilo asked her godmother tenderly. Mag reached up a trembling hand to clamp down on her goddaughter's shoulder, trying to help herself stand. With Shilo's support, Mag managed to shakily get herself up onto two feet. The newspapers that had been covering her unprotected body slid to the floor. Graverobber muttered something profane under his breath and took off his coat to wrap it around Mag's shoulders.

"Who else is here?" Mag queried, almost whimpering, wrapping the coat tightly around herself. "Shilo, is Nathan here?" She quailed.

"No…no, Mag, honey, I brought…a friend. He's going to drive us to the hospital."

Shilo led Blind Mag to the car, Graverobber walking in front of them and mumbling something that sounded very like "I get taking her eyes, but her clothes? That's fucked up."

There were hospitals everywhere, but for the short ride to the nearest one, both Shilo and Mag sat in the back of the car, Mag clinging to Shilo like a mountain climber to a rope in danger of snapping. When they pulled up in front of the hospital, Graverobber turned around in the driver's seat. "We're here. Need me to come with you?"

"Wouldn't they guess you're a grave-robber?" Shilo asked tremulously. He shrugged in response.

Shilo desperately didn't want Graverobber to get caught—he'd be killed instantly—but she didn't know if she could handle the situation alone. So she took a deep breath and replied, "Yes, I want you to come with us."

Shilo soon found out why Graverobber was so nonchalant about being potentially recognized; the hospital's emergency room contained the most bizarre plethora of people Shilo had ever seen, even on television. Graverobber's multicolored hair and tattered clothes looked downright normal compared to some of the ostentatious and surgically altered specimens waiting nearby. Shilo walked up to the emergency room desk, where the receptionist (a rather ugly Gentern wearing far too much makeup) was sitting behind about an inch of bulletproof glass. Graverobber walked behind her, carrying Blind Mag, who was weak with pain and still bleeding profusely from the back of her head.

The Gentern gazed at them with a bored expression. "So which one of you is in dire need of medical attention?"

Shilo gaped; wasn't it obvious? It was Graverobber who nodded to Mag and said, "This one. Her eyes got Repo'd and her head got halfway bashed in."

The Gentern nodded. "Okay. Name?"

Graverobber and Shilo exchanged glances. They hadn't thought of that.

But Blind Mag had, apparently. "Bronwyn," she choked out. "Bronwyn Loria."

The Gentern nodded and wrote that down. "Mmkay. Wait until you're called."

"Don't you care how hurt she is?" Shilo interjected, angry.

"Kid," Graverobber muttered, "Don't push it. Let's go sit down."

Casting a final filthy glare over her shoulder at the Gentern, Shilo followed Graverobber back to the waiting area where they sat down, Graverobber still holding Mag.

"Please put me down," Mag whispered. Graverobber helped Mag sit down on a chair between him and Shilo; Mag immediately laid her head down on Shilo's shoulder.

"Good job with that fake name," Shilo murmured, kissing the top of Mag's head.

"I knew someone with that name. Well…Loria was eir given name, but ey went by Bronwyn."

"Wait…what?"

"She's using gender-neutral pronouns," Graverobber explained so Mag wouldn't have to speak again.

Blind Mag close to speak again, but about something different. "It hurts, Shi."

"I know." Shilo kissed Mag's hair again, barely able to believe that Mag had been giving her her first kiss only a few hours ago.

"I'm bleeding on you."

"It's okay."

Mag was quiet for a long while after that, and Shilo realized to her horror that Mag had passed out from the pain. Against Graverobber's admonitions, Shilo ran to the front desk to tell the Gentern that "Bronwyn" had passed out. The woman simply glared at her and said "Duly noted" with what Shilo heard as a frightening amount of sarcasm.

Shilo sat down next to her godmother again, letting Mag's head loll against her shoulder. Fortunately, the gash on the back of her head stopped bleeding, and Shilo was careful not to reopen it. Graverobber stayed, as promised, until at long last the Gentern called Mag's fake name. As Mag was still unconscious, his presence turned out to be quite useful; perhaps the hospital staff could have procured a gurney, but Graverobber was able to carry her. A Gentern led them to a room where Graverobber laid Mag down. The Gentern turned Mag's body over to examine the gash, then turned her back over to peek under both her eyelids.

"Is she going to be all right?" Shilo queried.

The Gentern shrugged. "The gash will need stitches, and she'll never have working eyes again, but she doesn't seem to be in immediate danger. Also, the back of her head was struck so hard, it might have damaged her occipital lobe, so she might be blind even if she had eyes; we'll have to run some tests. If she really got Repo'd—and it looks like she was—she's lucky to be alive. Her eye sockets need to be cleaned and the wounds cauterized so they won't get infected, and they'll have to be routinely cleaned after that. I take it she has somebody to take care of that?"

"I will," said Shilo instantly.

The Gentern nodded. "We'll have to get her a head CT first, then move her for the stitches and cauterization. But nobody's available right now. When somebody is, they'll come by." She turned to leave, but Shilo called her back.

"If she wakes up, she'll in a lot of pain. Can't you give her something?"

The Gentern shook her head. "Not now. We have to see if her brain's swelling first, then we can decide what to give her. We might have to put her into a barbiturate coma."

Shilo felt her mouth going dry as she swallowed. "Okay."

The Gentern left.

"Do you need me to stay?" Graverobber squeezed Shilo's shoulder.

Shilo shook her head. "I think I'm okay now."

Graverobber nodded. "Okay. See you around, kid." He blew her a kiss at the doorway and then was gone.

Shilo pulled a chair in the room close to Blind Mag's bed and took her hand. "I'm here, god-mom. I'm here."

Mag did not stir, at least not at that. It was at least fifteen minutes later when Mag stirred, her lips moving, trying to speak. The only sound that came out was an incomprehensible mumble.

"Mag? Honey?" Shilo squeezed her godmother's hand.

"Shilo?"

"I'm here." Shilo leaned over to kiss Mag's cheek. "I'm here. We're in the hospital. They're going to get you all fixed up, okay?"

"Thank you." Mag's voice was almost a moan.

Shilo lifted Mag's hand to her lips and kissed it, hardly able to believe that just a day ago Blind Mag had been nothing more than a talented singer whom Shilo had fangirled shamelessly. And now Shilo was at Mag's bedside, ready to stay with her through what was surely going to be a difficult recovery. "I didn't know I loved you so much," Shilo cooed softly, "but I do."

Mag was quiet, but she squeezed Shilo's hand in return.

* * *

><p>AN: After the lack of reviews for my last full-length story, my stupidmuses died and I wasn't able to write anymore. Then I managed to get a short Shilo/Mag ficlet out despite the lack of inspiration, and after that got a few positive reviews, I was able to get this one started.

Hmm? What's that? Oh yeah, I will explain where Nathan is.


	2. Recovery Begins?

Eighteen

Chapter Two: Recovery Begins?

Summary: Just before Blind Mag leaves the Wallace residence, Shilo calls her back to ask why it is "too late" for her favorite singer. A conversation turns into a warm embrace, and Nathan's overprotective side emerges when he sees his daughter in Mag's arms…

Disclaimer: I do not own _Repo__!__ The Genetic Opera_, unless we're talking about a copy of the DVD or the soundtrack.

Pairings: Shilo/Mag

Author's Notes: I am invoking the trope Idiosyncratic Chapter Naming. Each chapter in this fic is going to share its name with a song because…I am a weird panda. This chapter's name comes from a song by Fireflight; the first chapter's name comes from a song by AFI.

* * *

><p>Despite the myriad outfits that Repo Men wore, they were easily recognizable by the other employees of GeneCo Tower. So as the Repo Man stormed through the hallways, carrying what was unmistakably one of the black organ-toting cases, he was given a wide berth, and the taciturn GeneCo henchwomen allowed him through whatever door he approached, including the door to Rotti Largo's office.<p>

Rotti gave him a stern look that wasn't quite a glare as he walked in. "Nathan. If you've come to your senses…"

He was cut off by the Repo Man slamming the case down on his desk and opening it. Dry ice hissed from the case, revealing the blooded but undamaged biosynthetic eyes inside.

Rotti glowered. "It was supposed to happen _after _the performance. Now what is the public going to think?"

The Repo Man turned to walk out.

"Nathan! Did you take care of her?"

Without responding, the Repo Man looked over his shoulder. Almost spitting through his clenched teeth, Rotti spoke again. "Did you…take adequate…care of her?"

The Repo Man finally spoke, his voice gravelly. "I did the job." He stormed out of the office.

It was the Repo Man who arrived at the Wallace house, who slipped in through the secret entrance to the basement where he performed his repossessions. It was the Repo Man who callously power-washed the smeared droplets of blood off the head-rest of the operating table where Blind Mag's head had been strapped not an hour ago. But when the Repo Man's tools and uniform were clean, it was Nathan who went upstairs to call softly for his daughter. "Shi? Shilo?"

The Repo Man had left his daughter on the floor, too focused on taking revenge for her sake. She was no longer there, and her clothes were gone as well. Nathan called out Shilo's name and walked throughout the house, but Shilo was nowhere to be found; he could only assume that she had left. And most likely, she had gone to find Blind Mag.

Nathan was certain Shilo would have no idea where to go to look for a Repo Man's victim besides a hospital. So he drove to the nearest hospital, mentally rehearsing what he could say to bring Shilo to her senses, to reverse any harm that Blind Mag had done. He parked the car, walked into the emergency room, and politely asked the Gentern at the front desk if she had seen a girl who looked like the photo of Shilo he kept in his wallet. The Gentern nodded and said Shilo had come into the hospital with a man who had been carrying Blind Mag, but Nathan assumed the woman's memory was flawed; Shilo didn't know anybody in the outside world, and the Gentern must have mistakenly combined Shilo's arrival and the arrival of whatever good Samaritan had brought Mag to the hospital into one event. But she said she could show Nathan to the room where Blind Mag had been placed, and the girl currently was.

* * *

><p>Shilo hated the ugly drying streaks of blood marking her godmother's beautiful face, so she had dampened some paper towels and wiped the smudges away. The Gentern had come back to check Mag's vitals and dress her in a hospital gown. The Gentern had reported Mag stable, if still unconscious, but she maintained that a decision couldn't be made regarding whether or how to wake Mag until after the head CT. So Shilo stayed at Mag's bedside, holding her hand, checking her pulse once in a while, even leaning over to kiss Mag's cheek. Fortunately, she was doing nothing of the sort when her father came in.<p>

"Shilo?"

"Dad!" Shilo had been sitting next to Blind Mag's bed with her back to the door, so she started violently at the sound of his voice. "How…how did you find me?"

Nathan answered with a question. "Why aren't you wearing your mask? Shi, this is a hospital. There are pathogens everywhere." He handed her a surgical face mask, which she obediently put on.

"Now, let's go."

"Dad, I don't want to leave her." Shilo turned back to the unconscious woman on the bed.

Nathan edged forward. "I don't know what she told you…"

"She hasn't woken up," Shilo whispered, starting to cry. "She hasn't woken up since she got here. The Gentern says she could be brain-damaged. I want to stay until she gets her head CT, and then they can tell…"

Nathan almost sighed audibly; he had been fairly certain Mag's head injury would render her unconscious, but he had still been concerned that Mag might have some opportunity to tell Shilo that he was a Repo Man. Of course, had that happened, he would have just told Shilo that Mag was either lying or delusional from the head wound. "No, Shi, it's past your bedtime. It's late."

"She could die!" Shilo burst out. "They say brain injuries are tricky. I don't want to leave."

Nathan gritted his teeth. What had Mag done to his daughter that had made her suddenly so attached? At the thought of the treacherous woman holding his poor naked daughter in her poisonous arms, he felt his hands curl into fists. "She won't die. Now, come on." He took hold of Shilo's wrist.

"No!" Shilo tried to pull her arm out of his grip. She had never disobeyed him like this before.

"Shilo, I am your father. It's too dangerous for you to be here. And I say it's time to go!" He gave her arm a yank and she stumbled along behind him, crying softly, continually repeating that she didn't want to leave Mag. She kept weeping during the car ride, resting her face against the window, her hot tears and breath causing it to fog up since she had taken her mask off.

"Dad, you didn't have to hurt her," Shilo whimpered. "She didn't do anything wrong. And then after you kicked her out, a Repo Man took her eyes!"

"Shi, I was trying to protect you," said Nathan gently.

"Mag didn't do anything wrong! She just wanted to…to cuddle. Everything else was my idea," Shilo insisted, because after all, it was her wandering hands that had led to anything beyond the gentle first kiss Mag had given her. "Now she won't be able to see again. And she might be brain-damaged!"

Nathan almost said, "Good", but instead he said stiffly, "She'll be fine."

"I'm worried about her," Shilo whispered.

Nathan took a deep breath. As much as he hated re-living the horrible scene he walked in on earlier that day, he had to address what had happened between his daughter and Blind Mag.

"Shilo, are you all right?"

Shilo sighed. "Just worried."

"So you're not hurt?" Nathan pressed.

"No…why would I be hurt?" Shilo gave him a puzzled look.

Nathan scowled. "I have to ask, after what I saw today."

"Wha…? _No! _Dad, Mag would never hurt me! And we didn't…I told you, we didn't sleep together!"

"Then what did you mean by 'everything else?'" Nathan challenged, anger creeping into his voice.

"I kissed her, okay? I wanted my first kiss from my celebrity crush, and she let me kiss her."

"Then why were you half-naked?"

"Because it was comfortable! She didn't…creep on me, or anything. She was really kind, and gentle. I kissed her, she asked me if I wanted to cuddle, I cuddled up to her, and she sang to me. That's it. And I undressed _myself, _by the way. And I don't think she's…you know, interested. She was just humoring me."

"I don't believe you have a celebrity crush on Blind Mag." Nathan countered.

Shilo was silent. After all, he was right; Shilo hadn't had any feelings for Mag until they met, and then Shilo had been inexorably drawn to Mag's kindness and charisma.

"And I don't think she's uninterested in you. I think she made you kiss her and take your clothes off."

"No, she didn't!" Shilo burst out. "Maybe she's into me—I don't think so—but she'd never make me do anything I didn't want to. She kept asking if I were comfortable, just to make sure." Nathan didn't reply to that, but Shilo saw a vein working in his temple, so she continued. "She didn't hurt me, or force me into anything. And she didn't touch me except for my back and my face. And my neck." Shilo remembered Mag's fingertips softly caressing the base of her neck and shivered.

Nathan glowered, but said nothing.

"Dad, I mean it. Blind Mag would never hurt me."

* * *

><p>Nathan stood in front of the door to Mag's hospital room. Shilo sat sullenly in a chair in the hallway a few feet away. All that morning, Shilo had begged her father incessantly to visit Mag in the hospital, insisting she had slept badly that night because she was so concerned about her godmother. He had refused over and over until Shilo promised to wear her gas mask the entire time, even in the car, and he stipulated that he would speak to Mag alone before Shilo was allowed to see her.<p>

So now he opened the door and shut it instantly behind him, walking slowly to Blind Mag's bedside. She was asleep with fresh bandages wrapped around her head, covering her empty and damaged eye sockets. He shook her arm.

Mag stirred and moaned. "Shilo?" she breathed, her voice weak. Nathan could have strangled her. So he gripped Mag under the chin until she gasped, clawing weakly at his arms. "Nathan…p-please…" He released her, and she fell back onto her pillow, fighting for breath. "What would Marni say?" she managed to say. "You beat me and took my eyes. Marni would despair to see what you've done to me!"

"You would be dead to Marni if she knew what you had done to Shilo," Nathan spat.

"I didn't do anything!" Mag wept. "Shilo is my goddaughter, and I promised Marni I'd be part of her life. I kissed her, that's all. I'd never take advantage of her. Marni would have believed me. Nathan, what has become of you?" Mag was almost sobbing. When Nathan didn't reply—he merely gazed at her, fists clenched and jaw set, which Mag of course could not see—Mag continued. "Are you going to kill me? Shilo will know it was you."

"I'm not going to kill you," said Nathan, his voice perfectly emotionless. "Marni would hate you if she knew what you had done, but she would not want me to kill you."

"You shouldn't say that. Marni would have understood."

Nathan locked his hand around Mag's throat again and hissed in her ear as she struggled. "But lay your filthy hands on my innocent daughter again and I will tear you limb from limb." He let her go. "I'm going to let Shilo in now. Clean yourself up and don't you fucking _dare _tell her what just happened."

Still barely able to breathe, Mag nodded.

As Nathan opened the door, a Gentern was walking past and addressing Shilo with, "Are you Shilo?" Shilo gave a surprised nod, to which the Gentern replied, "Finally. She's been asking after somebody named Shilo since we woke her up."

"Shi? You can come in now," said Nathan, swinging the door open as wide as possible. Immediately Shilo bolted inside and flung her arms around Blind Mag. Mag, despite Nathan's threat, couldn't help but return the embrace; when Shilo climbed onto the bed, Mag let her head loll against the girl's shoulder and began to cry softly. Nathan glared; apparently Mag's spell over Shilo was still as strong as ever.

"Don't cry," Shilo whispered, stroking Mag's hair cautiously so as to not touch the stitches on the back of the woman's head. "Please don't cry, Mag."

"Shilo, what…?" Mag reached for the girl's face, but her hand met only the strange, cold surface of the gas mask.

"Dad says I have to wear my mask. There are too many germs in the hospital."

"I see."

"How do you feel?" Shilo asked tenderly. "Are you in a lot of pain?"

"Right now it hurts…I was just given Zydrate. It takes a while to take effect when it's actually being used for medical purposes. But I'm glad you showed up before it set in."

Shilo's brow furrowed. "Why?"

"I hate Zydrate. It leaves gaps in the memory, which many people…appreciate. But if the Zydrate had kicked in now, I wouldn't remember this tomorrow."

Shilo continued caressing Blind Mag's hair. "Did they wake you up?"

"Yes; they told me how, but I was too disoriented to remember what they said. I do remember that my head CT showed only very minimal swelling in my brain, thank God."

Shilo heaved a sigh of relief. "So…what are you going to do now? I mean, your concert was supposed to be last night."

"I won't sing again. Not for GeneCo," Mag murmured. "They have my eyes. My contract is fulfilled."

"Would you sing for me?" Shilo asked softly, remembering the previous night when she had been lying in Mag's arms and Mag had sung for her.

A ghost of a smile passed over Mag's lips. "Of course. You're my goddaughter." Mag pronounced the last phrase with emphasis, hoping Nathan would hear.

"Could you sing something for me now?"

Mag felt weak from the pain, the Zydrate, and Nathan choking her, and she wasn't sure she could sing, but it was Shilo asking, so she tried, choosing a song that was rather easy; a tune she had often used as a warm-up for voice lessons. It was in French and called "Dirait-on." Shilo helped her sit up and tried to assist in Mag keeping her back straight while she sang so she could get proper breath support. After the song, Mag lay back down and she and Shilo talked in quiet voices for a while until Nathan spoke up.

"Shilo? Time to go."

"Can I stay a little bit longer?" Shilo begged.

Nathan was quiet for a moment. "You should sit in the hallway. I have to find a restroom. You can come back in here when I get back."

"Okay." Regretfully, Shilo got up and followed her father into the corridor. She sat down in the same chair where she had been earlier that day, carefully watching Nathan and waiting for him to vanish from sight. As soon as he turned a corner, Shilo leapt into action. She flung the door open and raced into the room, and as soon as she reached Mag's bed, she tore her mask off and kissed Mag deeply.

Mag had heard Shilo's frantic footsteps and figured out what was coming; she kissed Shilo back, stroking the girl's neck and shoulders as Shilo clung to her. "Thank you, little one," Mag whispered between kisses. "I needed this."

"You're welcome," Shilo replied shakily when the kisses ended. "I'm sorry…if Dad comes back…"

_Shilo, you have no idea, _Mag couldn't help but think grimly. "I understand."

Shilo hurried back to her chair in the hallway, making sure to shut the door behind her. As she replaced her mask, she found herself wishing she were in a book or a film. If she were, Blind Mag would have gently made love to her on the couch, they would have found a way for Mag to leave GeneCo and keep her eyes, and her father wouldn't have gotten so angry. But there was no way Nathan would be all right with Shilo being in any kind of non-familial relationship with Mag, and as attracted as Shilo felt to Mag, she wasn't sure if she was ready to sleep with her. They had just met, and Mag clearly still had some awful issues with intimacy due to how GeneCo had treated her.

Nathan returned within the next few minutes and let Shilo back into Mag's hospital room. Shilo immediately went to Mag's bed again, but the Zydrate was kicking in and making her drowsy. So Shilo got up onto the mattress and sat cross-legged, cradling Mag's head in her lap and stroking her hair until she fell asleep. After that, she really had no argument against her father saying it was time to leave. She got up carefully, thankful that the mask kept her from acting on her impulse to give Mag a goodbye kiss on the forehead, and quietly followed Nathan outside.

She had spent the entire morning pleading with her father to take her to the hospital, so she hadn't eaten breakfast and was hungry. Nathan made her a fried egg on toast and brought it to her in her room, cautioning her about how she should be particularly careful to rest and relax for the rest of the day as she wasn't used to exertion like what she had been through that morning. Shilo barely listened. After all, visiting Blind Mag in the hospital was nothing compared to the previous day's panic over her disappearance, and of course the time she had passed out because she got so worked up over her father trying to strangle Mag. Shilo found herself wondering just how intimate she and Mag could ever be; if her blood pressure became out of control from being afraid for Mag's well-being, it was unlikely she could ever safely do anything beyond kissing Mag. That thought made tears spring to her eyes; Mag deserved better.

Shilo's stomach was in knots for the rest of the day. Her father brought her lunch, then dinner, but she barely touched her food. She knew it didn't make sense—she had only met Blind Mag the previous day—but she couldn't get the injured woman out of her head. Blind Mag had effectively gotten under her skin, and despite how much Shilo now knew about her, the woman remained something of a mystery. Obviously working for GeneCo had caused her great pain, but Shilo still had little idea of what exactly had happened. Mag had mentioned that her clothes were designed by GeneCo for "easy access" to her body; had Rotti Largo sexually abused her? That thought made Shilo's skin drawl. What had been done to Mag that she felt that she would "pollute" Shilo by touching her? What had she meant when she said she had been "passed from hand to hand like a filthy coin"?

Some time after her father had brought her dinner, he knocked on the door. "Honey? Can we talk?"

"Come on in, Dad."

Nathan opened the door. "You sound tired. Are you all right?"

Instead of replying, Shilo jumped straight to a question that had been plaguing her. "Can Mag stay with us?"

Nathan looked puzzled, and then a dark look passed across his face like a shadow. "Why would you ask that?"

"Well, at the hospital, they said her eye sockets needed to be routinely cleaned. And she'll need somebody to help her bandage herself. Dad, she's blind now. She needs help. If she stays here, I can help take care of her."

Nathan clenched his jaw. "She can surely pay somebody to do that."

"It's different to have a family member helping you," Shilo protested. "Somebody who actually cares."

"She is not your family," Nathan snapped.

"She's my godmother!"

"If your mother could have seen what happened yesterday, she would never let Mag see you again."

"Dad, I don't know how many times I have to tell you: she didn't do anything wrong!" Exasperation crept into Shilo's voice until it was almost a whine. She clenched her fists in frustration; her dad never listened to her when she whined, even if she hadn't meant to. She took a deep breath and tried again. "Dad, please. She seems really lonely, like she hasn't had a real friend since she started working for GeneCo." That was a guess, but Shilo doubted it was a wrong one. "I think…I think Mom would want you to help her."

Nathan's expression softened. "All right. _Maybe._ If…if it's possible."

* * *

><p>The following day, Shilo again pestered her father to take her to the hospital to see Blind Mag, although this time Nathan waited until the afternoon to accede to his daughter's request. Not long after they arrived, a Gentern stopped by to check on Mag; she mentioned to Shilo and Nathan that as Mag had not sustained a serious head injury, she could be discharged. (Shilo was overjoyed; Nathan was irritated.)<p>

Mag had been asleep in a Zydrate haze when Nathan and Shilo had arrived, but she woke soon enough, and when she woke, Shilo was sitting at her bedside, holding her hand. Shilo felt Mag's fingers curl slightly as she stirred.

"Mag?" Shilo whispered gently.

"Shilo…"

"Hey, you." Shilo brushed a few strands of hair away from Blind Mag's face. Drowsy and drugged, Mag allowed herself a peaceful smile. "A Gentern said you could leave the hospital today if you want. And I was thinking…maybe you could come home with me and Dad. I could help you clean your…your eye sockets, and help you get dressed and everything. You know, until you're more used to being…well, blind again." Shilo wished she had been able to think of something to assist with that hadn't potentially involved a naked Mag. Shilo had no objections to that idea—quite the opposite—but surely Nathan would.

"That sounds wonderful," Mag sighed. She made an attempt to stroke Shilo's arm, but the Zydrate made her too uncoordinated. Shilo found herself wondering if there was any way to decrease Mag's Zydrate dose without her suffering too much.

"See, Dad? She wants to come home with us."

Nathan glowered, but said nothing.

Mag held her arms out for an embrace; Shilo complied willingly. "I can home with you?" The singer whispered.

Shilo mentally cursed her mask using language she hadn't even known she knew; if she weren't wearing it, it would have been so easy and natural to turn her head and kiss Mag's cheek. "Yes, honey. You can come home with us."

The "us" must have startled Mag into remembering that Nathan was there, because she stiffened suddenly. "Are you sure?"

Nathan walked over, and at the sound of his footsteps, Mag extricated herself from Shilo's arms.

"You may stay with us," said Nathan in a voice so startlingly rough that Shilo jumped. "If you will agree to certain conditions."

Shilo could have sworn Mag looked afraid, but she nodded.

"Dad, I don't get it. What conditions?"

"Conditions Mag and I will have to discuss privately." Nathan's voice was cold.

Mag dipped her head in a way that was so subservient it unnerved Shilo. Something was passing between her father and godmother that was very, very wrong, but she couldn't identify what exactly it was. Was her father still worried that Mag would in some way molest Shilo? Didn't he understand that not only would Mag never do such a thing, but neither of them would want to be intimate when Mag was so badly injured?

"I understand, Nathan," replied Mag quietly.

Not knowing what to say, Shilo wrapped one arm around Mag. Her godmother slouched just enough to tuck her head under Shilo's chin, looking demure and almost helpless. Shilo hated seeing her like that and hoped she was either acting or still groggy from the Zydrate.

When the drug wore off, Mag was able to speak more cogently about what she needed before going to the Wallace residence. Since she was no longer technically an employee of GeneCo, she likely couldn't send one of her valets to her house to retrieve her things. So she would likely have to pick up her belongings herself, with help from someone who could still see.

"Can I come with you?" Shilo pressed, but Nathan refused.

"You need to stay home. I shouldn't even have let you come here." He paused. "I'll go with Mag."

Any color that remained in Mag's face left it. But she nodded again.

Nathan drove Shilo back to their house, then returned to the hospital for Mag. Shilo waited impatiently for her father and godmother to return, listening to her favorite Blind Mag album and hoping Mag's voice would soothe her nerves.

When the two adults returned, Nathan was carrying two suitcases—one small, one rather large—and Mag was walking with a cane, sweeping it to and fro in front of her almost robotically. She looked weak and white and half-dead. Shilo watched from the top of the staircase, having planned to rush back to her room before her dad saw her, but when she saw how fragile Mag looked, she couldn't help herself. She walked downstairs and offered to help carry one of the suitcases.

"Shilo, you should get back in your room," Nathan admonished. "Your help won't be needed. Mag will be sleeping on the couch."

Shilo was stunned; didn't that defeat the purpose of somebody helping Mag with her morning routine? "Can't she stay with me?"

"The couch is fine." That was Mag, speaking without any inflection. She was now sitting on the aforementioned couch, arms crossed and back hunched.

Shilo knelt in front of Mag and touched her shoulder. "I wanted you to stay with me. So it would be easier to help you with your bandages and everything."

Mag was quiet for a moment. "Nathan…I know you are concerned about Shilo's immune system. Perhaps I could sleep here for a few nights—until it is established I'm not carrying any pathogens—and then move into Shilo's room?"

"We'll see," said Nathan, his voice wooden.

"It would be immensely helpful to have somebody there to help me in the mornings," Mag added.

Nathan grunted and walked off, almost storming.

Shilo sat next to Mag and tried to embrace her, but Mag shied away.

"Mag, what's wrong? …is that a bruise?" Shilo lightly touched an ugly bluish spot festering on Mag's cheekbone. Mag flinched.

"Yes."

"What happened?"

"I accidentally ran into a door frame," said Mag flatly. That made sense—of course Mag would be running into things if she were newly blind, and dizzy with Zydrate to boot—but Shilo sensed that it was a lie. Shilo kissed her godmother gently, a few centimeters below the bruise so as not to aggravate it.

Mag let out a single, pained sob and flung her arms around Shilo with surprising strength. Startled but still pleased, Shilo returned the embrace, threading her fingers through her godmother's hair.

"I wanted you to stay with me," Shilo whispered.

"I know," Mag sighed. "I wanted that too."

Shilo could hardly imagine anything more pleasurable and comforting than sleeping beside Mag every night, perhaps sharing good-night kisses before falling asleep. It wouldn't all romance and sweetness, Shilo knew—she did want to help Mag recuperate from her injuries—but she wanted to cuddle with Mag again. And to be able to kiss her…

"You're still wearing your hospital gown. Would you like to change? I can help you."

After a short pause, Mag nodded.

So Shilo dug through the suitcases Mag had brought, surprised to find that many of the clothes inside were of simple styles and plain, solid colors, very different from the elaborate getups she wore in public.

"Those are my clothes from before I started working for GeneCo. I wasn't allowed to keep many."

Shilo almost asked why Mag wouldn't want the dresses she had worn while under GeneCo's employ, but then she realized the answer was obvious. So she picked out a pair of cloth capris and a long-sleeved T-shirt that looked comfortable and brought Mag to the nearest bathroom to help her change. After closing the door for privacy's sake, she moved to remove Mag's hospital gown, saying "Here, I can get that."

Mag flinched away, clutching the hospital gown like a security blanket. "Please don't, Shilo."

Shilo was puzzled; after all, she had seen Mag nearly naked before. "Why not?"

Mag sighed. "I suppose I might as well tell you. Your father does not want you seeing me in any state of…indecency."

"He's not here," said Shilo as kindly as she could, touching Mag's shoulder. "And I closed the door. He won't know. Mag, please, I don't want to have to leave you to your own devices because my dad is being a…a hard-ass."

A tiny smile curled Mag's lips. "May I have my clothes, please?"

Mag shucked off the one-size-fits-nobody hospital gown and was left standing in just her undergarments, arms crossed over her chest; Shilo made sure Mag's pants and T-shirt were oriented properly so they wouldn't be backwards before handing them to her. Shilo could not help but admire Mag's body while she was undressed, but kept her thoughts to herself.

"Are you comfortable?" Shilo asked when Mag was finished dressing.

"Very, thank you." On an impulse, Mag held out her arms to Shilo, who immediately stepped into the hug and held Mag tightly. "Shi, will you please get me some Zydrate?" Mag whispered. "My eyes…they're hurting…"

"Of course."

The hospital had provided Mag with a small bag of replacement bandages, antiseptic, and Zydrate. Nathan had put it somewhere without Mag's knowledge, and Shilo had to go searching for it; she eventually found it in the kitchen. She did not know how to use the Zydrate gun, but even without her eyes, Mag was able to figure it out. Shilo could only assume that she had dosed herself after first having her eyes replaced.

The Zydrate took about half an hour to set in. Until then, Shilo sat on the couch with Mag's head in her lap, reading a book out loud so Mag could hear; she would have much preferred cuddling with Mag, but there was too much danger of Nathan coming into the room. But then the drug made Mag sleepy, and she dozed off while Shilo stroked her hair. Shilo waited until her godmother was asleep, then carefully edged off the couch and covered Blind Mag with the very blanket under which the two of them had cuddled not a few days ago. She kissed Mag's forehead and reluctantly went upstairs, praying that her wounded godmother would be allowed to move into her room sooner rather than later.

* * *

><p>The reason Nathan was not around to interrupt Mag and Shilo's interaction was that he had received a call from Rotti Largo to come to his office immediately. Suspecting that Rotti might have ordered either other GeneCo employees or GeneCops to kill him (he may have repossessed Blind Mag's eyes, but Rotti had likely found out that Mag was still alive, and Nathan hadn't waited until after the Genetic Opera to take Mag's eyes), he dressed in his Repo Man suit before departing.<p>

So while Shilo helped Mag change out of her hospital gown, the Repo Man who had been Nathan Wallace not too long ago was walking into GeneCo tower and being cautiously avoided as he made his way to Rotti Largo's office.

He was still wearing his entire Repo Man outfit when he burst in; Rotti glanced at him casually and said, "That won't be necessary, Nathan."

He removed his helmet and waited for Rotti to speak again.

"Blind Mag is still alive." Rotti raised his eyebrows questioningly, but the effect was ruined by a coughing fit. Nathan waited until his boss had himself under control before replying.

"Unfortunately, she made contact with Shilo," Nathan explained. "She revealed to Shilo that Marni had asked her to be Shi's godmother. Shilo is very attached to Mag all of a sudden."

"The public must know what happens when people cross GeneCo!" Rotti snapped.

Nathan scowled. "Mag won't last long," he said, a growl creeping into his voice. "She has…an interest in my daughter. I'm just waiting for her to make a wrong move."

Rotti nodded, but his voice was stern when he spoke. "Sooner rather than later, Nathan."

Nathan nodded curtly, once, and turned to leave.

"Oh, and Nathan?"

Nathan narrowed his eyes, certain he wasn't going to like what was coming next.

"As you are aware, I like to keep an eye on the daughter of my best employee." Nathan wasn't fooled, and said nothing; Rotti went on. "She seems quite…frail. Perhaps you're overdoing it?"

"What are you saying?" Nathan demanded.

"You will stop poisoning Shilo."

"How did you know!" Nathan hissed, reaching for one of his scalpels. Rotti snapped his fingers and two impassive henchwomen marched into the room in lockstep. Glaring daggers at Rotti, Nathan slid the scalpel back into its holder.

"GeneCo knows everything," said Rotti simply. "You will stop giving Shilo poison, or I will tell Shilo that you are a legal assassin and a murderer, whose first victim was your wife."

Nathan stood stock-still for a moment. "I need Shilo to stay safe. She can't leave the house."

"And you can keep her safe without sickening her, can't you?" The GeneCo's CEO's tone was almost mocking.

Nathan clenched his jaw and curled his hands into fists.

"You're dismissed. You have twenty-four hours to find a way to convince your daughter she's cured."

Nathan Wallace walked, nearly staggering, from Rotti Largo's office and rode the elevator to the first floor. He drove back to his house in a daze, barely able to believe that he had only twenty-four hours left of keeping his beloved daughter irrevocably safe.

* * *

><p>AN: Nathan, if you keep clenching your jaw that much, you're going to need to see a dentist.


	3. Poison Girl

Eighteen

Chapter Three: Poison Girl

Summary: Just before Blind Mag leaves the Wallace residence, Shilo calls her back to ask why it is "too late" for her favorite singer. A conversation turns into a warm embrace, and Nathan's overprotective side emerges when he sees his daughter in Mag's arms…

Disclaimer: I do not own _Repo__!__The__Genetic__Opera_, unless we're talking about a copy of the DVD or the soundtrack.

Pairings: Shilo/Mag

Author's Notes: Title from HIM's song "Poison Girl".

* * *

><p>Shilo slept badly. She woke very early from frightening dreams that she would not be able to remember later, and could not relax enough to get back to sleep. So she picked the lock to the door and went downstairs with a book to sit in the living room until Mag woke up.<p>

By the time Blind Mag stirred, about two hours had passed and Shilo was finished with her book. Shilo heard the rustle of fabric on fabric as Mag emerged from her slumber, struggling against remaining drowsiness to sit up. Shilo was at her side in seconds. "Good morning."

Mag startled slightly. "Shilo?"

"Hi." Shilo squeezed her godmother's hand. "I couldn't sleep, so I came downstairs. I thought maybe I could help you get dressed, or make you some breakfast. Dad's still asleep," she added.

"Oh, thank you…why couldn't you sleep? Is something wrong?"

Shilo couldn't help but smile at Mag's kindness. "I just had some bad dreams."

"What about?"

"I can't remember." Hoping to move away from the subject, Shilo sat down on the couch beside Mag and kissed her shoulder.

"Shilo, would you please bring me the Zydrate gun?"

"Oh, right…of course…"

Shilo scampered off to find the Zydrate gun; she brought it to Mag, who gave herself a very low dose.

"Is that going to be enough to help?"

"Most likely not. But I don't want to be so drowsy…and I don't like having gaps in my memory."

"Right…you mentioned that."

Mag gingerly touched one of her eyelids through the bandage. "It's so strange to not have eyes," she whispered. "I was blind for 19 years, but to have no eyes…"

Shilo hugged her gently. "Is there anything I can do?"

"I don't know." Mag wrapped her arms around Shilo in return. "Perhaps I can get some glass eyes made. It might be more comfortable."

"I'll ask Dad if he can help." Hoping for a kiss, Shilo cupped Mag's jaw line in one hand and leaned close; Mag flinched away.

"Shilo, please, I haven't brushed my teeth yet."

Shilo grinned. "Okay. I can get you to the bathroom."

"Thank you. Would you pick out something for me to wear as well?"

"Sure. Do you feel like wearing anything in particular?"

Mag paused. "Just something comfortable. And…preferably modest, and could you pick out a camisole for me as well? I don't want your father to think I'm attempting to expose myself to you."

Shilo was fairly sure that damage was done when Nathan saw them cuddling half-naked under a blanket, but she rummaged through Mag's clothes instead of mentioning that. She picked out the things that Mag had requested, but noticed something odd.

"Um…Mag, this might be kind of personal, but…you have almost no bras…" Shilo could feel her cheeks burning.

"Most of mine were destroyed," said Mag in the same strange, flat voice Shilo had heard from her the night before. Shilo knew that was a sign she shouldn't inquire further, but she couldn't help it.

"How?"

Mag tilted her head forward so her hair obscured her face. "Will you please give me my clothes?"

Shilo laid the pile in her lap. "Do you want me to help you to the bathroom?"

"I'll go alone." Mag started to feel around for her cane; Shilo took her wrist.

"Mag, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to pry. Please don't be mad." Shilo felt her heart start to speed up; the last thing she wanted was for Blind Mag to be upset with her, particularly considering how Shilo currently felt about Mag.

Mag tilted her head up in Shilo's direction, smiling bitterly. "'Mad' is certainly not the right word, little one."

Shilo wanted to know why Mag had shut down so suddenly, but Mag's voice was gentle and forgiving, so Shilo dropped the subject and took Mag's hand to lead her to the nearest bathroom. Shilo handed Mag her toothbrush and toothpaste and turned on the water so Mag could brush her teeth.

"I should shower some time today…do you know any Braille?"

"Um…what's that?"

"It's a system of raised bumps that translate to letters. I can use it to read."

Shilo's brow furrowed. "Why haven't I heard of it?"

"GeneCo suppressed its use to further inconvenience blind people and force them to get eye transplants."

Shilo shivered at the cold anger in Mag's voice.

"You may have to direct me to the shampoo and conditioner bottles at some point. I'm trying to figure out a way to ask you to help me shower without bringing your father's wrath down on me."

Shilo thought that showering with Blind Mag would be an excellent solution. She didn't mean to make the suggestion out loud, but somehow her lips made a different decision.

Mag barked out a laugh. "No, that is _not_happening. Your father would kill me."

Shilo felt her cheeks turn to flame again. "Yeah…I didn't think so."

Mag sighed. "I should get dressed." She turned away from Shilo and pulled off the comfortable outfit Shilo had chosen as her pajamas the night before. Perhaps it was because of Shilo's suggestion about showering together, but she seemed to be giving as much effort to covering herself as possible.

"Mag?" Shilo stroked her godmother's arm. "Is something wrong?"

"Please just give me my clothes, Shilo."

Shilo hugged Mag around the waist, pressing her lips to the woman's shoulder blade. "Mag, honey, I'm sorry if I said something to upset you…" Shilo could hear the panic in her voice.

"You've done nothing wrong. Please let me go."

Wounded, Shilo backed up. "Okay. Here." Shilo handed Blind Mag her camisole, hand shaking. "I thought you liked me." Shilo could feel tears building in her eyes.

Holding up the camisole to cover her chest, Mag turned around and embraced Shilo gently with one arm. "I care very much about you, Shilo," she whispered. "But I fear your father is right that we are too close."

Shilo nestled her face against Mag's soft neck. "I love you."

Mag actually flinched, but she did not draw back from the hug. "Please don't say that. That's not something that should ever be said to me."

"But you're wonderful," Shilo protested, tracing Mag's spine with her fingertips.

"You know very little about me. There are things about me that would make your hair curl if you knew them."

"I don't believe that," said Shilo stoutly. "You're so nice to me."

"I treat you as well as I know how. But I'm afraid I'll hurt you. I was GeneCo's property for so long…" Even through her wig, Shilo could feel Mag's tears dripping onto her head. Mag was crying, hard enough that the bandages weren't soaking all the tears. Shilo didn't want her to cry.

"How can you say that? I don't think you could hurt me if you tried."

That was when Mag pulled away from Shilo's arms. "I don't want to talk about this anymore. You do not want to know why I have every reason to say I fear hurting you."

Flustered, Mag tried to pull the camisole over her head, to hide herself from Shilo; she was forced to stop when Shilo grabbed her arm and gasped, "What happened to you?"

Even though Mag no longer had eyes, Shilo could tell her expression was one of agony. "I thought you had seen the scars before and chosen to ignore them."

But no, Shilo had not noticed that Blind Mag's breasts were covered with little white scars in the shapes of bite marks, and that there was a livid white scar next to one areola that looked as if someone had tried to cut away a piece of Mag's flesh. Shilo's mind whirled as she wondered how she could have missed that; she supposed that when she had seen Mag undressed before, she had been too shy to examine Mag's chest too closely, and it had been Mag's attempts to cover herself that drew Shilo's attention.

"No," Shilo's throat was suddenly dry. "No, I didn't see them. I didn't…I didn't want to look, you know, out of respect…" Her explanation sounded pathetic, but Mag didn't seem to care by that point, because for the second time her breasts were being cradled in Shilo's hands.

Mag whimpered slightly; Shilo prayed the sound was one of pleasure, not refusal, because there was no way she could keep from brushing her hands over the awful marks as if her caresses could make them disappear. Unprepared at first—for she hadn't seen what Shilo was doing—and loving the sensation far too much to protest, Mag surrendered to the girl's soft touch, wrapping Shilo in her arms again so they were in the exact same position as they had been when Shilo had first been introduced to Mag's body. "I can't feel the…the scars, either. What happened?"

Shilo's voice was so sweet that Mag was barely able to fight back a flood of tears. And oh, to be touched with such tenderness where she had been abused…

"I shouldn't be allowing this." Mag buried her face in Shilo's (fake) hair.

"Mag, what happened?" Shilo whispered, using her thumb to trace the one scar that looked to have been made by a knife or scalpel; it was the only one she could identify by touch alone.

Mag stifled a quiet whimper against Shilo's scalp and said nothing.

"Mag? Honey?"

"I'm not going to tell you."

So Shilo continued her caresses instead of speaking again. She kissed Mag's neck over and over, and she could feel Mag's vocal cords move but could hear nothing.

"Where did you learn to be so gentle?" Mag's voice shook so much Shilo could barely understand her.

"Nowhere...I just…"

"I wish I could tell you to stop." As she spoke, Mag tightened her arms around Shilo.

"Why?"

"Because I shouldn't…" Mag's breath hitched as Shilo cautiously kneaded one of her nipples between a thumb and forefinger. "Ohh, that feels good…I'm not doing this for you this time."

"That's okay," Shilo murmured. "It's okay. You shouldn't expect me to…to never do anything for your sake."

That seemed to snap Mag out of her trance; she pulled away from Shilo's hands and yanked her camisole down to her waist, hiding her scarred flesh from view. "Yes, I should. Outside of you helping me with navigating the house, of course."

Shilo reached out to stroke Mag's cheek. "Whoever it was that hurt you…I can't believe anybody would want to leave scars like that. You're so beautiful…"

Mag smiled sadly. "The world needs more people as kind as you."

Shilo helped Mag finish getting dressed, and though Shilo tried to speak with her more, Mag refused to reply. Then they went back to the couch where Mag slept; Mag lay down, as if to dismiss Shilo with the intention of going back to sleep, but when Shilo draped herself over Mag and laid her head down against the woman's heart, Mag did not complain. Shilo kissed Mag's chest through her shirt. "Please talk to me."

Blind Mag said nothing; instead, she reached over the girl's body and began stroking her back.

"Well, if you won't talk to me, will you kiss me?"

Mag sat up slightly. Shilo crawled forward until she was in the right position and covered Mag's mouth with hers. Mag kissed her back warmly, accompanying the kiss with gentle caresses on Shilo's shoulder blades and spine.

_Maybe__ she__'__d __rather __kiss__ than__ talk__ because__ she __can__ be __more __honest __this __way,_ Shilo mused as Mag suckled lightly at her lower lip. _She__ loves __me,__ I __know __she __does__…__but __she __feels __guilty. __Did __Dad __make__ her __feel __like __this?_

Suddenly Mag pulled away from the kiss. "You did say your father is still asleep, right?"

"Yeah, he's asleep." Shilo pecked Mag's cheek, just underneath the yellowish bruise that lingered from the day before. "I wish he'd be more…well, understanding."

"He's trying to protect you."

"I saw him choke you!" Shilo protested. "And you hadn't done anything wrong."

"At that point, no."

"You've never done anything to hurt me," Shilo continued.

"I shouldn't let you kiss me. I could get you sick. Your father isn't wrong about you being immunocompromised."

"If you'd given me something from kissing me, I'd know by now."

Mag sighed. "I first let you kiss me because I could tell you had a bit of a crush on me. I wasn't expecting it to…to lead anywhere. Certainly not to me…enjoying it as well."

"Wait, so you didn't like it the first time we kissed?" Shilo wasn't sure why that idea offended her.

"Oh, I did. I just didn't expect to. You're a good kisser."

Shilo blushed. "Do you love me?"

Mag was unresponsive for a moment. "That's a complicated question, my little one. The obvious answer is yes, of course…but do I love you because you are my goddaughter, or because I feel…drawn to you…otherwise? I don't know. I'm not sure I want to know."

Mag fell silent again after that, and no prodding questions from Shilo could persuade her to speak. But when both their stomachs started growling, Shilo helped Mag to the kitchen, and Mag actually replied when Shilo asked what she would like for breakfast. She ended up making both of them instant oatmeal, and she sliced up bananas for her own oatmeal and sprinkled dried grapes and raspberries over Mag's. They were eating when Nathan came into the kitchen.

"Shilo, what are you doing out of your room? And why aren't you wearing your mask?" Even though he was drowsy from just waking up, Nathan's voice was sharp.

"I just wanted to get Mag breakfast," Shilo insisted. "If she had some kind of disease she could give me, it would have shown up by now."

"I didn't know Shilo wasn't wearing her mask. I would have asked her to put it on," said Mag softly.

"Well, I'm glad you've actually gained some sense," Nathan snapped. Mag did not reply.

"Sorry, Dad."

"Go put your mask on."

Shilo looked up at her father quizzically. "But, Dad…I'm eating."

"Then take your food upstairs. You shouldn't be down here anyway."

Shilo got up to obey her father. She tried to give Mag a hug before proceeding upstairs, but her embrace was shrugged off. Blinking back tears even though she knew Mag was acting, Shilo took her bowl of oatmeal and her orange juice and climbed the stairs back to her room. As she reached her door, she thought she overheard Blind Mag crying again.

* * *

><p>Nathan went to work not half an hour later, and he stopped by Shilo's room to take her dishes downstairs, kiss her forehead, and tell her he would be installing a new lock on her bedroom door that night. After he was gone, Shilo picked the lock on her door and scampered downstairs. She found Mag on the couch, quiet and listless. When Shilo announced her presence, Mag sat up and pulled the girl into her lap.<p>

"How do you do this to me?" Mag whispered into Shilo's ear, wrapping her arms around the girl's waist.

Shilo was confused. "Do what to you?"

"I adore you." Mag kissed the girl's cheek. "If I had an ounce of sense, I would see your feelings for me as a schoolgirl's celebrity crush and I wouldn't allow you to kiss or touch me the way I want you to."

"You really think I just have a celebrity crush on you?"

"No…of course not. If that were true, your interest in me would have faded by now." Mag sighed. "I should take my things and go to a shelter. GeneCo certainly knows I'm staying here, unless I'm wrong about your house being bugged. I'm endangering you simply by being here."

"What do you mean by 'a shelter?'"

"A homeless shelter. Almost no resources besides corrective surgery are available to people with non-lethal disabilities. Remember how I mentioned that GeneCo has suppressed the use of Braille? So people who are blind or deaf or were born with flaws like missing limbs or facial deformities and don't want to risk defaulting on payments…well, they don't do well. Many of them lose their jobs to people who are perfect-looking or fully functional, and then they end up homeless. So I did benefit concerts for disabled people whenever I could. Mostly I could only get away with blindness benefits, since that was how I was born."

Something clicked in Shilo's memory. "Like the Tao of Mag benefit?"

"Yes."

"I loved that concert. Particularly the songs you did in Mandarin. Like…what was it called? 'Mo Li Ha?'"

"'Mo Li Hua.' Yes…but most of the money those concerts made went to pay for eye transplants. Which I liked…but I really wanted the proceeds to go to the shelters. I'd donate to them myself whenever I could, and I would go see them myself to sign autographs. GeneCo started forbidding me from doing that when they found out I signed autographs in Braille and was trying to learn sign language."

Shilo had actually heard of sign language. "These shelters don't sound like…like very nice places."

"No. They're not. So nobody would think to look for me there."

Shilo twisted in Mag's embrace so she could kiss her. "I don't want you to go to a shelter. Dad would never let me visit you and or let you come visit."

Mag returned the kiss gently. "I know. But you'd be safe. And maybe your father would let you come visit after you turned eighteen. You are almost an adult."

"I still want you to stay here. I want you to sleep in my bed. I want you to have somebody helping you."

Mag shivered lightly, whether from fear or pleasure Shilo couldn't tell. "Shi, I want those things too. But I'm afraid."

"Afraid of what?"

"Of how I feel about you," she whispered. "I don't want to hold you down."

"Don't talk like that," Shilo begged. "I love you. Isn't that what matters?"

"It should be, my sweet little one. But life doesn't work that way."

"You're worried about Dad too, aren't you?"

Mag was quiet for a moment, and Shilo was worried she wouldn't get an answer. "He wanted me to tell him whether or not you had helped me get dressed. He wanted to know if…if you'd seen me naked."

"What did you say?" Shilo probed.

"I said you'd helped me pick out my clothes, but that I had dressed myself out of your view. He didn't believe me."

"Did he hurt you?"

"No."

Shilo thought that answer had come a bit too quickly, but there was no new bruise on Mag's face. "Why is Dad so afraid of…um…us?"

"He wants to protect you. I don't know if he knows the extent of what was done to me or if he simply doesn't want you in a relationship with somebody twice your age."

"Are you ever going to tell me what happened to you while you were working for GeneCo?"

"No. Not as long as I'm dedicated to keeping my promise to your mother."

"What promise?"

Mag gave a short sob that sounded painful. "The promise to help take care of you." Shilo tried to kiss Mag, who turned her face away. "And no, I won't tell you in exchange for more kisses."

"That was out of sympathy." Shilo twisted so she had one leg on each side of Mag's waist. Mag hugged her tightly, her head nestled underneath Shilo's chin.

"Please, Shi, no more questions. Just let me hold you."

Shilo slipped her hand under the back of Mag's shirt and stroked her warm skin. "Okay, honey…is it okay if I call you that?"

Mag nuzzled Shilo's collarbone. "Of course."

* * *

><p>That night, Nathan had an announcement. Soon after he returned home, he quickly fixed dinner for Shilo and brought it to her in her room.<p>

"Shi?" He rapped on the door before walking into the room.

Shilo had been listening to Blind Mag's album _Autumn__ Serenade _and had been so absorbed in the music (in particular, one song that she would love to hear Mag sing to her on repeat) that she didn't notice Nathan walking in at first.

"Shilo?"

Shilo jumped, quickly pulling off her headphones. "Oh—sorry, Dad. I was just listening to some music."

Nathan's brow furrowed for a moment, but the expression was fleeting. "I have something important to tell you."

"What is it?" Shilo asked cautiously, praying he wasn't about to say that Blind Mag had to leave.

Nathan took a deep breath, his next words coming out in a rush. "I have found a cure for your illness."

Shilo gaped for a moment, unsure whether or not she had truly heard that. Her father hadn't said a word to her recently about his progress toward finding a cure for her blood disease but for insisting her isolation would end when he could make her well. Had he only made a breakthrough that day? Did he really mean a _cure,_or perhaps only a more effective treatment for her symptoms? If she could really be cured, truly made free from her illness, to have a body that worked, then she could leave her room…she could leave the house and meet new people…she could be with Mag…

"Is that true?" Shilo gasped. "A cure? Really?"

Nathan nodded. "I can start administering it to you as soon as possible."

"Dad…you finally found a cure?" Shilo leapt up and wrapped her arms around her father's middle.

"Yes, I did, Shi." Nathan kissed the top of his daughter's head. "I have some new pills for you. You'll take them with every meal, just like with your old medicine."

"Okay." Shilo stepped back. "When will I get better? I mean, when will the medicine start working?"

"I don't know. We'll just have to see." Nathan withdrew a small white circular pill from his pocket and dropped it in Shilo's glass of water, where it effervesced and dissolved. Shilo quickly gulped the water down.

"Should I still wear my mask when I leave my room or open the window?"

"For now, yes. I don't know how long it will take to work, but it won't be overnight."

Shilo nodded sadly, imagining that her father would wait as long as possible to say the new drug was working well enough for her to freely leave her room, let alone sleep in the same bed with Mag. "Does Mag know?"

"No. Nor does she need to."

"Dad, she says she promised Mom she'd be a part of my life. I think she feels bad we can't actually spend much time together. Oh…that reminds me. We should buy her some shampoo and conditioner so she can wash her hair." Shilo sat back down on her bed.

"I wish you weren't so attached to her," said Nathan darkly.

"Once I'm better, I won't have to worry about her getting me sick," Shilo protested.

"She's a bad influence on you. She's…she's been in the outside world too much."

"If you mean she worked for GeneCo, then yeah, I know." Shilo tried not to let any anger creep into her voice. "And you have _no_idea how guilty she feels about that. I know they did awful things to her, and she won't tell me what happened because she wants to protect me. She keeps saying she would leave but for the fact that she promised Mom she'd help take care of me."

"I don't need her to 'help take care of you,'" Nathan snapped.

"I know you don't _need_her to help you." Shilo struggled to keep her voice level, as much as she'd like to leap up and shout that not only was her father was being irrational, but so far he had caused more harm to Mag than Mag had to Shilo. "But she wants to. She loves me."

Shilo immediately knew she had said the wrong thing. "Did she tell you that?" There was something her father's voice that made the Shilo's skin crawl.

"She didn't…volunteer that," said Shilo carefully. "I asked her. She kept saying 'I care about you, Shilo', so I asked her if she loved me. She said yes. Because…"

"Yes, I know. Because she's your godmother." Nathan's voice dripped with sarcasm. "You can stop using that excuse. She isn't your godmother. There was never a ceremony."

"Because she thought I was dead!" Shilo protested. "What, did Mom want her to be my godmother and you didn't? Is that why you told her I died with Mom?"

"I never had any problem with Marni wanting Mag to be your godmother. I have a problem with Mag using her supposed position as your godmother to abuse you."

"Mag has never hurt me!" Shilo's voice rose to a yell.

Nathan looked at his daughter with what might have been sympathy. "I've kept you so sheltered. You don't know that not all abuse leaves bruises." He sat down next to Shilo and laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I know she exposed herself to you. I know she touched you. It wasn't your fault."

"Stop it!" Shilo shrugged off her father's hand. "I just help her pick out her clothes! And she's never touched me inappropriately! She barely touches me at all because she's so scared of you, even though I wish she would!"

Nathan's face hardened. "Shilo…are you saying…that you and Mag have a _relationship_?"

Shilo swallowed. If her answer bore any resemblance to "yes", her father would hurt Mag, throw her out, or both. "No. After she first kissed me, and we cuddled and she sang to me, I hoped we would. But she keeps saying she's too old for me. She still lets me hug her, but nothing else." Shilo made a mental note to check in with Mag to get their stories straight concerning just how intimate they'd been. But that thought reminded her of the two of them on the floor of the bathroom that morning, Mag's delicate, beautiful, scarred flesh cupped in her hands, Mag whimpering softly at her touch…

"At least she has more of a conscience than I thought," Nathan grumbled. He stood up.

"She's my friend," Shilo continued. "I want to spend more time with her when I get better. I want her to stay with me instead of on the couch. She mentioned sleeping there makes her back hurt." Mag had said nothing of the sort, but naturally Shilo wasn't about to reveal that they both wanted to be able to cuddle at night.

"We'll see." Nathan headed for the door. "I'll be going to bed now. Is there anything you want or need me to get you before I go to sleep?"

"No thanks, Dad."

Still looking upset and distracted, Nathan left, though he still remembered to lock Shilo's door. After a short interval, Shilo picked the lock and dashed downstairs. Mag was lying on the couch that served as her bed, resting but not asleep. A new bruise blossomed rosily on her forehead.

"Dad hit you, again, didn't he?" Shilo asked tenderly, stroking her godmother's hair.

"It was a wall."

"I know Dad hits you, honey." Shilo kissed Mag's cheek. "Please stop protecting him."

"He didn't hit me this time. He pushed me into a wall." Mag's voice sounded exhausted and weak, as if she were simply too tired to make an effort to lie.

"Oh." Shilo knelt on the floor and slipped one her hand into one of Mag's. "Why was he so angry with you?"

"I don't know. He said he didn't want me around you. That I should leave you alone as much as possible." Mag sighed. "He said he wanted me to pretend I didn't care so much about you, and that I wanted to leave as soon as my injuries have healed."

"I think I know why." Shilo kissed Mag's hand. "Dad found a cure for my illness."

"A cure?" Mag sat upright. "That's wonderful!" She pulled Shilo into her lap and kissed the girl's forehead.

Shilo nuzzled as close to Mag as possible. "I won't get better very fast. But he won't be able to use my blood disease as an excuse to keep us apart anymore."

"I see." Mag caressed the girl's arm. "That would be why Nathan wants me to start avoiding you."

"So…there's something I have to ask you." Shilo became uncomfortably aware of her heartbeat. "No matter what, Dad has to think we aren't, you know, together. So…are we?"

"Are we what? Together?" Mag asked softly.

Shilo closed her eyes, dreading the answer. She said the first thing to come to mind that might influence what Mag said. "I love you."

"I know you do," Mag's voice was tender. "I love you also, little one. And considering how close we are physically, and how…how we feel about each other…" She paused to kiss the top of Shilo's head. "I would have to say that yes, we are together."

Shilo sighed with relief. "So…do you want us to stay together? You know, now that I'm going to get better? I mean, soon you should be able to sleep in my room."

"In your bed, you mean." Shilo felt rather than heard the low chuckle Mag gave. "You expect me to make love to you at some point, then…is that why you're uncomfortable asking me to sleep in your bed? You've never shied away from saying that before."

Shilo closed her eyes. "Yes," she whispered. "Yes, I want that. I want…I want us to make love. After I'm not so sick it's dangerous."

Mag was quiet for a moment. "I'm not prepared for that, my darling. Particularly not…not after what I've been through."

"Well, of course we'll have to wait. I don't want to make you do anything."

"I appreciate that." Mag slid the wig from Shilo's head and softly kissed the skin underneath several times. "I hope you will forgive me for…for earlier today when I tried to insist that your father is right about us being too close. It was…a moment of weakness. I still have misgivings. I can't deny that. But I also can't deny how…well, how I feel about you."

Shilo blushed. She could think of nothing to say and was slightly relieved when Mag continued.

"And I take it you also were planning to tell me that we must exercise caution around your father?"

"Actually, I figured I'd be the one promising to be more careful," said Shilo. "If Dad really believes I'm not in love with you, then he'll stop hurting you. Or at least I hope he'll stop hurting you." Shilo shifted in Mag's embrace to look at her face, even though she knew perfectly well Mag couldn't see her. "I'm sorry. I wanted you to be safe here. Safe from GeneCo, and from the Repo Man. But now Dad is hitting you."

"I've gotten much worse," Mag assured the girl. "It's all right."

"Somebody hitting you is _not_all right." Shilo kissed Mag's cheek. "I don't want to leave. But I need to go back to my room. Dad might decide to check on me."

Mag turned her head to kiss Shilo, long and searching and sweet. "Good night, Shi. Sleep well."

* * *

><p>AN: Shedemei rambles about interpersonal relationships while nothing actually happens. Anybody who's read my Sweeney Todd stuff knows what I'm talking about.


	4. Too Shy to Scream

Eighteen

Chapter Four: Too Shy to Scream

Summary: Just before Blind Mag leaves the Wallace residence, Shilo calls her back to ask why it is "too late" for her favorite singer. A conversation turns into a warm embrace, and Nathan's overprotective side emerges when he sees his daughter in Mag's arms…

Disclaimer: I do not own _Repo__!__ The Genetic Opera_, unless we're talking about a copy of the DVD or the soundtrack.

Pairings: Shilo/Mag

Author's Notes: Title from AFI's song "Too Shy to Scream". Yeah, it's from _Crash Love. _I like that CD, even though it sounds more like a side project than an AFI album.

* * *

><p>Shilo dutifully took her medication every day. She recovered slowly in terms of her respiratory issues; after about two months, she still could have trouble breathing if she exerted herself too much. However, at that point, she had grown about three-quarters of an inch and a fine sheen of soft black fuzzy hair had grown on her head. Blind Mag's eye sockets had healed to the point at which they didn't hurt anymore, though when Shilo asked Nathan if he could find glass eyes for Mag to make her more comfortable, he had done nothing.<p>

She had also begun to study some academic subjects to which she hadn't had much exposure. Her father had bought her some rudimentary textbooks long ago, so had asked him for more detailed books on the subjects that she found interesting. She hadn't found any of the quantitative subjects particularly exciting, so she hadn't even paid much attention to the basics. Mag had gone to a fine arts high school and then majored in music at university, but she did remember certain things and helped Shilo as much as she could. Shilo quickly found that Mag was much more bright and sharp of mind than GeneCo had tried to make her seem; when Shilo didn't understand a concept, she would read the passage from the book aloud and Mag would rephrase it in a way that made it easier for Shilo to understand.

Unfortunately, Nathan was staying true to his habit of disagreeing with everything Blind Mag did for Shilo. When he found Mag helping Shilo study, he of course became confrontational and demanded to know what they were doing.

"Shilo is going to be eighteen in a month and a half. She should be able to start school soon, and when she does, she should be ready."

"School. You mean college."

"I don't know if any college would accept her with her limited academic experience. Maybe she could enroll in a local high school for a few years first. But once she's well, she should be able to make something of herself."

"Make something of herself?" Nathan snarled. "Are you implying that I've raised Shilo to be…unworthy?"

"I think Shilo is very worthy," Mag corrected. "I think she has wonderful potential, and an education could serve her well."

"Dad, I really don't think there's any harm in be trying to learn more math," Shilo pointed out.

Of course, Shilo was right, so from then on Nathan let them be when Shilo was studying, occasionally shooting them filthy glances that Shilo was very glad Mag couldn't see.

As much as Mag was trying to help Shilo, she still balked at asking Nathan to allow her to sleep in Shilo's room. Not because she wouldn't prefer to sleep in Shilo's bed over the couch; she was afraid. Shilo had only confronted Nathan once about his physical abuse of Mag, but he, of course, had denied it, and Mag had begged Shilo to never speak of it again. Shilo might have disobeyed that request, but she hadn't seen any new bruises on Mag in a while.

"Shilo, neck-kisses are not part of your curriculum," Mag was admonishing Shilo one afternoon after Nathan had departed from the house, giving Shilo the freedom to be affectionate.

"Maybe if I had time to kiss you during the night, I wouldn't have to interrupt your teaching."

"Shi, we've been over this. I don't need your help as much now that I'm more used to being blind again."

"I still want you in bed with me."

"I know. I'd love to sleep in your bed at night. But since I've healed, I can't ask Nathan if I can stay with you so you can help give me Zydrate and help me get dressed. If I asked now, he would think I only wanted to take advantage of you."

"I wish you would."

"You can't very well take advantage of someone who is consenting," Mag reminded her with just a trace of a smile.

Shilo slipped her arm around Mag's waist. "I wouldn't push you."

"If you think I'm avoiding sleeping with you to avoid making love to you, that's not it. I'd love to sleep next you. But I think I have every reason to be afraid of your father."

"I think I once said that you weren't comfortable on the couch and it was hurting your back. And, you know, me being immunocompromised isn't as much of an issue anymore." Shilo traced Mag's spine with her fingertips, leaning close to brush her lips against the line of Mag's jaw.

Mag sighed. "Well, I suppose you were understanding fractions just fine anyway…"

Mag turned her head slightly to the side, allowing Shilo's lips to capture hers. Shilo climbed into her lap, covering the singer's mouth with soft, repeated kisses.

Shilo and Mag had kissed on this couch before, and it was difficult sitting side by side, bodies getting all twisted up so the moment was ruined when one of them had to readjust. Mag didn't feel like going through that annoyance. So she reclined, bringing Shilo with her, shifting so Shilo's center of gravity was resting comfortably against her hips. She felt a tremor run through Shilo's body; they had kissed many times before, of course, but never in such an intimate position. It was when Shilo felt Mag's legs wrap warmly about her waist that she broke off the kisses and looked at Mag, surprised.

"Is everything all right?" Mag asked softly.

Shilo nodded. "Just…a little surprised." Mag reached up to stroke the girl's cheek and felt the lips curl into a shy smile.

"It surprises you that I want to be close to you?" Mag crossed her ankles behind Shilo's back.

Shilo sighed. "Close, no. This close, yes." She dipped her head to kiss Mag again, shivering as she felt her lover's hands guide the back of her shirt up to her shoulder blades. Mag still point-blank refused to let her hands anywhere near Shilo's breasts, but that rarely stopped her from touching Shilo's skin in less intimate places. Mag felt Shilo move, resting her weight on one arm to leave the other hand free to glide up underneath Mag's camisole, always gentle, always shy, no matter how familiar she became with Mag's body.

Mag sighed with approval and pleasure as Shilo's fingertips brushed her sensitive skin, then found herself whining in protest as Shilo sat up. But then she felt Shilo pulling at her camisole, and she sat up slightly—thanking the strong singer's muscles in her abdomen for allowing her the slight motion—to allow Shilo to pull the garment off completely. She gasped when Shilo lay back down, for the girl had also removed her shirt and Mag could feel the tenderness of Shilo's skin pressed against her. "Mmm…Shi…" She wrapped her arms tightly around Shilo.

"You feel good, Mag. Cozy."

"So do you, little one." Mag allowed her hands to wander over the graceful contours of Shilo's back. She closed her eyes. She wanted Shilo, yes…but she was perfectly content to lie in the girl's arms like this, skin on skin accompanied by kisses and caresses. It didn't have to go any farther.

Mag was trying very hard to convince her body of that fact. Because Shilo's lips were on hers once more, Shilo's hand caressing her breast again…

"Shi…" Her voice was reduced to almost nothing, a whisper than came out much huskier than intended.

Shilo's kisses left her mouth, trailed down her, neck, past her collarbone…

Mag's spine arched as Shilo's lips met the swell of her breast. Her heart felt as if it were trying to batter its way out of her ribs, it was pounding so hard. When Shilo's lips closed over her nipple, a surge of pleasure shot through her, so powerful there was only one proper response.

"Shilo, stop!" Mag squirmed away from the girl, who drew back from her instantly.

"Mag, what's wrong?" Shilo sounded hurt. "You seemed to be…enjoying it…"

"It's not your fault," Mag panted. "I'm sorry. It's my fault. I'm sorry." Mag sat up, pressing her legs tightly together to try to quell the warm ache inside her. She had never reacted so strongly to Shilo kissing or touching her, but the combination of Shilo's sweet skin and those soft, gentle lips closing on her… "I think I need some tea," Mag whispered hoarsely.

Shilo reached out and lightly brushed a hand against Mag's shoulder. "Please don't be mad." Her voice quavered.

"I'm not mad at you, little one." Mag took Shilo's hand and squeezed it tightly. "I'm angry at myself."

"You're shaking." Shilo wrapped her arms around Mag, slowly and carefully, as if she was afraid that the woman would disappear. Mag leaned into the embrace, hoping that would help Shilo understand that Mag wasn't at all upset with her. "Are you okay?"

"I'm not shaking because I'm hurt or upset." Mag paused, waiting for Shilo to say something, but there was no reply at first.

Finally Shilo spoke. "Do you want me to make you some chamomile?"

"That would be lovely, thank you."

Shilo kissed Mag's cheek and got up. Mag heard the rustle of cloth as Shilo re-dressed herself before proceeding to the kitchen, and as she listen, she cursed herself using foul words she hadn't even known she knew. Of course Shilo would blame herself even though Mag's reaction hadn't been her fault at all. Mag was finally growing to understand how much pleasure (be it physical or emotional) Shilo took in knowing Mag enjoyed her affections; that wasn't the problem. The problem was that Mag was still unused to her body being treated with such kindness, and if she cried out for Shilo to make love to her while her brain was pickled in hormones, Shilo would surely oblige…but Mag felt like it wasn't time yet. Mag wanted Shilo's first time with her to be special, not a spur-of-the-moment event stemming from an interrupted study session.

Shilo's footfalls brought her out of her reverie. "Mag? I made you some chamomile. It still needs to steep for a few minutes."

"Thank you, Shi."

Shilo sat down next to Mag and cautiously handed her the mug of tea. "Are you…feeling better?"

Mag slid her hand over the couch until it found Shilo's leg so she could give an affectionate squeeze to the girl's knee. "Yes."

Shilo leaned close and kissed Mag's cheek. "I'm sorry."

"Please don't apologize, little one." Mag turned her head so she could kiss Shilo's mouth. "I told you it isn't your fault. You tried something new. I…just enjoyed it too much." She smiled rather bitterly.

"I enjoyed it too," the girl replied shyly.

"I thought…we could have easily gone too far. And I want to wait for the right time." She paused. "Perhaps your eighteenth birthday."

"Oh, Mag…do you mean it?"

Mag could have sworn her heart melted at the softness and wonder in the girl's voice. She placed her tea mug on the floor so she could take Shilo into her arms. "Yes, I mean it."

Shilo brushed her lips against Mag's throat. It was her turn to start quivering with anticipation. "How…how are we going to hide from Dad?"

"I think it's time I finally asked to stay with you at night. I'll say the couch is uncomfortable. And of course I'll offer to sleep on the floor, on an air mattress…I just won't."

"Good plan," Shilo murmured, pressing her face to the curve of Mag's neck. "Oh, I wish it could happen now…"

"I know," said Mag as tenderly as she could manage. "But I need more time. And I want our first time to be special, if you'll excuse me for being second-millennium."

"I understand." Shilo reached up to stroke Mag's cheek. "I love you. I don't want to pressure you."

"I love you, Shi." Mag said simply, giving the girl a gentle squeeze. "I promise I'll make the wait worth it."

A long shudder ran through Shilo's body. "But what if I can't…what if I can't please you?"

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it." Mag kissed the top of Shilo's head. "Try not to worry. Everything will turn out fine eventually. I thought there could be no way I could have a life after GeneCo, but here I am with you."

* * *

><p>"Nathan? I want to talk to you."<p>

Nathan was halfway up the stairs carrying a tray with Shilo's dinner; Mag had heard the stairs creak.

"About what?" His voice was sharp.

"Your daughter, of course. I'm concerned about her."

"It's not your place to be concerned."

Mag had given up trying to convince Nathan that despite the fact that there had been no official ceremony, she _was _Shilo's godmother. "Shilo would disagree with you."

"She's too young to judge that sort of thing." Nathan began to proceed up the stairs.

"That's the thing, Nathan. She's _not _too young. She's nearly eighteen, as much as you have sheltered her. And she deserves a chance at a future."

"Are you saying I'm _not _giving her a chance at a future?" Nathan demanded.

Mag took a deep breath. Would Nathan strike her again? Probably. But Shilo deserved her support. "Let her go to school. She doesn't have to start college now—I mean, she isn't ready—but enroll her in high school. Or get her a tutor if you're worried about her not being able to handle social situations. But she needs an education."

"I have nothing to say to that."

"Well, you should. She's a bright girl. She doesn't know what she wants to do with her life. She needs some guidance."

Nathan whirled on Mag; she couldn't see him, but she heard his weight shift on the stair. "Why are you so determined to force her to grow up?" Nathan seethed. "Is it because she looks so like Marni? You're trying to age her up to be more like Marni so you can take advantage of her?"

Mag clenched her teeth. "I have no uncouth intentions toward your daughter. I just want to _help _her. I care about her."

Nathan snorted. "I don't believe you. You were always jealous of what I had with Marni. And now you're after my daughter. As soon as I can convince Shilo you're a bad influence, you're out of this house."

"Is that what you were worried about when you chose to tell me that Shilo had _died?_" Mag's voice began to shake. "That I would go chasing after her? Do you really think I'd have any interest in her besides taking care of her if I'd helped raise her like I promised Marni?"

"Apparently I was right," said Nathan bitterly. "If only Shi didn't look so much like Marni."

Mag snapped. "Nathan, I can't even fucking _see _her!" she shrieked. "I can barely remember what she looks like! You claim to love Shilo, but you keep her locked up in this sepulcher of a house! You're so concerned about me hurting her, but you're the one doing the real harm!"

The back of Nathan's hand slammed into Mag's face like a brick. She stumbled backward and fell, tumbling sideways down the stairs. She was struggling to get up when she heard Shilo's voice.

"What's going on?" Then the girl gasped. "Mag! Dad, you hit her again, didn't you?"

"No, Shi, she tripped," said Nathan evenly.

Shilo skittered down the stairs. "Oh, Mag…" Mag felt Shilo's hand cup her cheek. "Your nose is bleeding."

"I can't see you, Shi," Mag whispered, beginning to cry. "I can't see you."

"I know." For half a second, Mag felt Shilo guide one hand up to the girl's face, as if to let her trace her features and try to use touch to better recall Shilo's appearance, but suddenly Shilo was jerked away.

"Shilo, go back to your room."

"No!"

"Mag will be fine. She just fell."

"Dad, don't lie to me! You always lie to me! I know you hit her! I can already see the bruise starting!"

Mag heard Shilo shouting and protesting as Nathan dragged her back to her room. The brief anger that had surged within her faded, and she laid her head down and cried. Not too much later, Nathan walked past her without acknowledging her, presumably after getting Shilo to eat some of her dinner. Mag waited a respectable interval, listening carefully for any activity from Nathan, before retrieving her cane to make her way back upstairs to knock on Shilo's door.

"Dad, I don't want to talk to you right now!" came Shilo's voice, thick with tears.

"Shi? It's me."

Mag heard the characteristic clicking noises of Shilo's lock pick, then the door was flung open and Mag found herself pulled into the room and wrapped in a tight hug. Shilo covered her mouth with kisses; Mag dropped her cane to return Shilo's embrace. But when Shilo tried to turn her head, Mag flinched back in pain.

"I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?" Shilo stroked Mag's cheek.

"Just a little."

"You're still bleeding a little. Hang on…" Shilo ran to the bathroom and returned with a damp cloth. She gently dabbed away the remnants of blood underneath her godmother's nose, not unlike the way she had cleaned the dried blood that had dripped from Mag's empty eye sockets the night of the Genetic Opera. "I can't believe Dad really thinks I'll believe he didn't hit you."

"Your father seems to have a rather tenuous relationship with reality."

Shilo rested her hands on Mag's hips and kissed her neck softly. "I heard him yelling at you. What was going on?"

"I made the mistake of trying to speak to your father one-on-one about your education. He accused me of lusting after you because you resemble your mother so much. And that was when I said…"

"That you can't even see me." Shilo finished. "I've never heard you curse before."

Mag smiled bitterly. "I lost my temper. I don't love you because you remind me of your mother. I love you for who you are." Mag punctuated the sentence with a kiss on Shilo's forehead.

Shilo made a tiny noise of pleasure and nestled her face against Mag's throat. "I love you. I wish I could ask you to cuddle in bed with me, but I guess Dad might come back."

Mag sighed. "There's no way he'll let me stay in here now. He told me that as soon as he can convince you I'm a bad influence, I'm out on the street."

Shilo whimpered and tightened her arms around Mag. "I wouldn't let him do that."

"I don't think there would be much you could do, little one." Mag rocked Shilo gently back and forth. "Particularly if he calls the police to help throw me out."

"He wouldn't do that…would he?"

Mag thought of Nathan standing over her with a scalpel as she struggled against the straps binding her to the surgical chair in the basement. "I would hope not."

"I guess I'll ask Dad if you can stay with me. It sounds like he's not listening to you."

"I suppose it's worth a try." Mag pecked Shilo a quick kiss. "I should go. I don't want to live constantly afraid of what your father will do to me, but he will hit me again if he finds me here."

"I hate that he hits you."

Mag chuckled dryly. "Trust me, so do I."

* * *

><p>In the end, it was Shilo who asked her father both if Mag could sleep in her room and if they could have a more elaborate celebration than usual for her eighteenth birthday. To Shilo's surprise, Nathan agreed to the first, but not the second. (Unbeknownst to her, Nathan was only allowing Mag to sleep in Shilo's room because he was looking for an opportunity for Shilo to "realize" Mag was attempting to take advantage of her.) Shilo's eighteenth birthday was approaching rapidly, but she was overjoyed that Mag was allowed to sleep in her room and decided not to make waves.<p>

Nathan dragged an air mattress out from the basement (a small, legitimate basement, not Nathan's Repo Man laboratory) and filled it using an air pump. The first night Mag was allowed to move into Shilo's room, she couldn't stop smiling the entire day. This earned her some worried glances from her father, but she was past caring. Fortunately, she managed to keep her hands off of Mag too much when helping her up the stairs.

Mag politely thanked Nathan for allowing her to sleep on the air mattress, as sleeping on the sofa genuinely was starting to hurt her back. Shilo was rather unnerved at how deferential Mag acted toward Nathan throughout the various conversations about the topic, but she supposed being obsequious had worked to deflect unwanted attention (particularly if it was angry) off of her when she had worked for GeneCo.

Shilo barely managed to not grin constantly or otherwise act excited the first night Mag was allowed to sleep in her room. She knew perfectly well Mag wouldn't budge on the matter of what was to happen the night of Shilo's eighteenth birthday, but that didn't matter; she just wanted to sleep in Mag's arms.

She wasn't disappointed. After she took to bed that night, she remained awake, pretending to sleep, while she listened to her father and her godmother speak outside her door. It sounded like he was threatening her, but Shilo didn't hear any blows landing or Mag crying out in pain, so at least he wasn't hitting her.

Mag quietly came into the room and lay down on the air mattress.

"Mag?" Shilo whispered.

"Shh. Soon," was the only reply.

In a few minutes, Shilo heard the sheets rustling as Mag carefully climbed into bed beside her. Grinning so hard she thought her face might hurt, Shilo edged closer and opened her arms to Mag. She nestled her head under Mag's chin, sighing happily as she felt one of her godmother's hands running lightly over her scalp, making a light scratching noise as the new, short, still-growing hair was rustled. "Hi, Mag," Shilo whispered.

Mag's reply was to move and squirm to get into the right position to cover Shilo's mouth with a warm kiss. "Finally, I get to lie beside you at night," she whispered as she drew back, allowing Shilo to rest her head against the curve of her neck again.

Shilo leisurely trailed a hand up and down the length of Mag's back. "This is so comfortable. I bet I never have bad dreams with you here."

Mag sighed. "I certainly hope I stop having bad dreams. Sometimes they wake me. I don't want to disturb your sleep."

"GeneCo was really awful to you, weren't they?"

Mag tightened her arms around Shilo. "You might say that."

Shilo dropped a few kisses on Mag's neck. "You can wake me up if you have bad dreams."

Mag sighed. "We'll see, little one. But thank you."

* * *

><p>Rotti Largo read the date of birth on Shilo Wallace's file twice. He knew it by heart, and in his younger years, that would have been enough; he would have stopped re-checking the file, because of course his memory was accurate. Although of course, the reason he was looking up the girl's birth date yet again was not his memory.<p>

It was time. For time was something he was rapidly running out of. He had stopped consulting any of his doctors, if only because having several GeneCo MD's shot and killed accomplished nothing now that it had stopped improving his mood.

A racking cough seized him; he grabbed a handkerchief from his jacket pocket and pressed it to his nose and mouth, hacking into it until his head spun from lack of air. Grumbling, he stuffed the handkerchief back into his pocket.

One more week. After that, his worthless, pathetic, traitorous lungs could give out if they wanted. Because in a week, Shilo Wallace would turn eighteen and become be a legal adult. And Rotti would leave all of GeneCo to her, forever proving to his vapid, useless offspring that they deserved nothing of his inheritance. If he could rip his half of their DNA out of each of his three children, he could, and they would be thinking of that for the rest of their miserable lives…

If he survived the next seven days.

* * *

><p>AN: I'm not dead. Really.


End file.
